Only Human
by goofoofighter
Summary: UPDATED! A short, sweet, one-shot. InuKag. (Rated for light swearing)


A/N:  Just a little scenario that popped into my head the other night, so I gave it a go.  (It turned out good, but I found a few parts that seemed like they could use some revising.  It's mostly the same, some of the grammar is changed, and the only _major_ changes are in the lengths or type of descriptions, and the temperature of the room while I was writing. *lol*)

            She sat at her desk studying.  Studying, studying, always studying, but she could never seem to remember any of the material for that darn _test_.  Lately though, she had been having troubles concentrating.  She sat at her desk, resting her chin in the palm of her hand, staring out the window and wondering.  Why hadn't anyone come for her?  Surely, if Inuyasha was that mad, he might have prevented the others from coming... But as she thought about it, it just wouldn't be the same if someone else came.

            "I wonder if he's with Kikyou..."

Nothing in the room or the vast, shining evening sky answered her question.  She was left to wonder.  She didn't want to think about it, though; it hurt to think about it.  But no matter what she did, the thoughts would not leave her mind.  She had already given up trying to study; it just wasn't going to happen, not today.  She pulled out a blank sheet of paper and doodled on it as she thought, but nothing earth shattering came from the random movements of her pencil.  Nothing beautiful, nothing to answer her questions, except maybe if it were saying that nothing would happen, that Inuyasha would not come.  She began to worry, wondering if she would ever see any of her friends in the past again.  She went over what had happened when she and Inuyasha argued, hoping to find a clue hinting towards the possibility that he _would_ come for her.

            "_Go back to your own time!_"

His voice was still fresh in her mind.  She normally enjoyed hearing his voice, but when they had argued it was so sharp.  She felt herself falter and scramble to find words as she had done before.

            "That bag of bones just wants to drag you to Hell..." she whispered as the echo of her voice screamed it back to Inuyasha's ghost in her mind.

            "_You just get in the way!  I can't fight when I'm worrying about _you_!_"

            "_You can't defeat them alone either!_" Her come-back didn't make much sense even to her, but she couldn't let herself give up to that stubborn dog.

            "_Damnit Kagome, I can't always protect you!_"

            So sharp... so angry... she couldn't find a hint of care in his voice.  She cried to herself.  She was alone again, and he was right; she doesn't belong in the past, she _shouldn't_ belong in the past.  But then, why did she wish so much to go back again?  Maybe she would go back in the morning...

            _No!_ She argued with herself; _if I just keep going back to him, who knows what he'll do next!_

            She decided to go for a walk to calm herself down.  Being outside had always calmed her before; she didn't dare go far though, the sliver of a waning crescent moon didn't very effectively shine light into the night's shadows.  In this time, who _knows_ what's in the shadows anymore.

_In this time..._ she repeated to herself, rushing back to her room and crying herself to sleep.

*=*=*=*=*

            The morning found her getting ready and going to school again, as she had been doing regularly now for a while.  She had lost track of how long, but she was sure it couldn't have been more than a few weeks.  Today was the usual; friends greeting you on your way, questioning her about her "boyfriend" (and commenting on how she may not _ever_ have to worry about that jealous, abusive, self-centered, stubborn man ever again).  She was still worried for him though, but she couldn't remember why.  She didn't have much time to think about it; she had a test to take.

*=*=*=*=*

            "Aw man..." she complained to her friends as they ate at Wackdonalds, "I _so_ totally bombed that test!"

            "Don't worry Kagome, you'll understand it some day," one of them comforted.

            "Yeah, especially now that that _horrible_ boyfriend of yours isn't on your case anymore," another added.

            "Yeah..." she sighed, not really agreeing."I gotta go guys," she said as she got up and left, ignoring their questions.

            She was silent around her family all that night, and they never asked about Inuyasha.  She was glad; had they asked she might have burst into uncontrollable tears.  After dinner and a bath, she went up to her room. She had no homework that day because of her test. She sat on the floor, leaning on her bed, watching the sky change colors and the wispy clouds slowly move.

            "Kagome..."

At first she had thought it was her mind playing tricks on her; playing back the hanyou's voice, wishing that badly to hear it again.

"Kagome, why didn't you come back?"  She sighed and wondered how such an illusion could sound so _real._  She turned to confirm that the voice was just in her head, but when she stood, she saw him. It was Inuyasha!  He had come for her!  But as happy as she was with the surprise, his words echoed in her mind and anger began to burn in her.

            _Go back to your own time!_ -- "Why didn't I come back?! You told me to leave!" She took a shaky breath, "I only get in the way!"

            "Kagome..." He paused nervously, unsure of what to say, "I- I waited for you."

            "You waited for me," she repeated sternly, "and how was I supposed to know if you _wanted_ me back?!"  She gave him a critical look.

            "That's why I came here.  I came here to tell you –"

            "To stay, I know…" she had calmed, but she took a breath and her anger renewed, "I'm only human, Inuyasha!  I _know_ I make mistakes!" She turned her back to him and sat down again.  He bounded around her bed and crouched in front of her, firmly grabbing her arms to keep her from turning away again.  As she looked him in the face, the red rays of the setting sun shone through her window, giving his countenance a bloody tinge.  He looked… vicious… Shivers moved up and down her spine, and her heart felt heavier, as if she were about to die, as if maybe he was going to kill her.  Words would not come for her; she could not even bring herself to scream.

            "Kagome!" He tightened his grip on her to ensure that she would listen and listen well, "The anger you feel is the same anger that turned Kikyou against me fifty years ago!  The anger of assumption.  Kagome--" He looked down, hiding his face.  He was shivering.

            "Inuyasha…" she said in wonder. Her sudden fear of him faded.  Was he crying?  Had he missed her?  She knew it would be a stretch for Inuyasha, but she wondered if he had he cried at the thought that he might have lost her.

            The sun ducked behind the horizon, and darkness fell outside.  What little light that was caught in his silver hair faded as it darkened to a deep black.  His ears disappeared, and his claws didn't threaten to dig into her arms anymore.

            He looked up at her, tears earnestly fought, but a few had escaped.  She remembered- _that_ is why she had worried, tonight was the new moon; Inuyasha's weakness.  She was caught by the emotion of sadness mixed with fear his human face portrayed all too well.

           "Kagome, I'm human too… And…" he began to shiver again, so fully that his grip on her loosened, "I can't always protect you, I'm sorry…" Tears fell from his hidden face, barely visible in the darkness.

            _Damnit Kagome, I can't always protect you!_, the words echoed in her mind again, except that now she heard the worry she had missed before.  He just wanted her to be safe, whatever the cost.

            "Inuyasha…" she said quietly, hugging him, "I will protect you…"

            He didn't enjoy being protected by humans, but after a moment of argument with himself, he leaned on her.  If he hid in Kagome's time, he would be safe.

"Kagome… thanks…" She could tell the words were hard for him to say.  She held him close and played with his hair, comforting him like any good mother would comfort their child.

*=*=*=*=*

            The morning came, and somehow (when she was asleep, she guessed), Kagome had ended up in Inuyasha's lap, leaning on him while sleeping.  He had held one arm around her protectively as she slept, the other hand was on Tetsusaiga, which he had propped up next to him just like every other night; ready to take action if needed.  The sun had risen a while ago, and when she looked up at him, she caught him staring down at her with his amber eyes.  For a moment they stared at each-other, until Inuyasha blushed and quickly looked away.  His silver hair tickled her face, she couldn't help but laugh.

            "Kagome," he mustered, after a few failed tries at speaking.

            "Hm?"

            "… Let's go home."

A/N: Kawaii ne? ^^ R&R, please, I'd love to know what you thought of it!  (Is it better now that it's revised some?)


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